And thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood (Exod. 27:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell them to erect an altar for burnt offerings so that it may atone for the sins of My sons. I made an agreement with Abraham their father that if his sons sinned, I would forgive them because of their sacrifices, as it is said: And he said unto him: “Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old (Gen. 15:9). What do the letters in the Hebrew word mizbeah (“altar”) stand for? The mem stands for mehilah (“pardon”), the zayin stands for zekhut (“merit”), the bet for berakhah (“blessing”), and the het for hayyim (“life”). The burnt offering (ha’oleh) ascended on your account. Thus Solomon said: Who is this that cometh (oleh) up out of the wilderness? (Song 3:6). Boards of acacia-wood standing. These were used because of the merit of Abraham, as it is said: And He stood by them under the tree, and they did eat (Gen. 18:8).
Shittim implies that they acted foolishly (sh’tut) and angered Me by erecting the golden calf. However, they brought acacia-wood (shittim) and were forgiven for their foolish (shetutan) foolishness.
Another explanation of the word shittim. The shin stands for shalom (“peace”), the tet for tov (“good”), the yod for yeshuah (“salvation”), and the mem for mehilah (“pardon”). They held the tablets on which the ten words (commandments) are written; five were inscribed on one tablet, and five on the other. Five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof (Exod. 38:1). They contained the tablets, for it is written concerning the Ten Commandments, five were on one tablet and five on the other. And the height thereof shall be three cubits (ibid. 27:1). This corresponds to the three redeemers, as is said: I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Mic. 6:4).
And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it (Exod. 38:2), in order to obtain forgiveness for the nation that exalted Him through four horns. The horn that came from Sinai, as it is said: And He hath lifted up a horn for His people (Ps. 148:14); the horn of the Torah: Horns hath He set at His side; and there is the hiding of His power (Hab. 3:4); the horn of the priesthood, as it is said: And My horn hast thou exalted (Ps. 92:11); and the horn of kingship, as is said: Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (horns) (Exod. 34:29). And it is written elsewhere: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5).
<b>And thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood (Exod. 27:1).</b> The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell them to erect an altar for burnt offerings so that it may atone for the sins of My sons. I made an agreement with Abraham their father that if his sons sinned, I would forgive them because of their sacrifices, as it is said: <i>And he said unto him: “Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old</i> (Gen. 15:9). What do the letters in the Hebrew word <i>mizbeah</i> (“altar”) stand for? The <i>mem</i> stands for <i>mehilah</i> (“pardon”), the <i>zayin</i> stands for <i>zekhut</i> (“merit”), the <i>bet</i> for <i>berakhah</i> (“blessing”), and the <i>het</i> for <i>hayyim</i> (“life”). The burnt offering (<i>ha’oleh</i>) ascended on your account. Thus Solomon said: <i>Who is this that cometh</i> (<i>oleh</i>) <i>up out of the wilderness?</i> (Song 3:6). <i>Boards of acacia-wood standing</i>. These were used because of the merit of Abraham, as it is said: <i>And He stood by them under the tree, and they did eat</i> (Gen. 18:8).
<i>Shittim</i> implies that they acted foolishly (<i>sh’tut</i>) and angered Me by erecting the golden calf. However, they brought acacia-wood (<i>shittim</i>) and were forgiven for their foolish (<i>shetutan</i>) foolishness.
Another explanation of the word <i>shittim</i>. The <i>shin</i> stands for <i>shalom</i> (“peace”), the <i>tet</i> for <i>tov</i> (“good”), the <i>yod</i> for <i>yeshuah</i> (“salvation”), and the <i>mem</i> for <i>mehilah</i> (“pardon”). They held the tablets on which the ten words (commandments) are written; five were inscribed on one tablet, and five on the other. <i>Five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof</i> (Exod. 38:1). They contained the tablets, for it is written concerning the Ten Commandments, five were on one tablet and five on the other. <i>And the height thereof shall be three cubits</i> (ibid. 27:1). This corresponds to the three redeemers, as is said: <i>I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam</i> (Mic. 6:4).
<i>And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it</i> (Exod. 38:2), in order to obtain forgiveness for the nation that exalted Him through four horns. The horn that came from Sinai, as it is said: <i>And He hath lifted up a horn for His people</i> (Ps. 148:14); the horn of the Torah: <i>Horns hath He set at His side; and there is the hiding of His power</i> (Hab. 3:4); the horn of the priesthood, as it is said: <i>And My horn hast thou exalted</i> (Ps. 92:11); and the horn of kingship, as is said: <i>Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (horns)</i> (Exod. 34:29). And it is written elsewhere: <i>And there was a king in Jeshurun</i> (Deut. 33:5).
